The Calm Before the Storm
The Banunbang's Wuhan had entered its busiest days in years. Yet upon closer inspection, it all felt like a storm in a teacup. Surprisingly, daily life in Wuhan itself had changed little. There were no refugee processions fleeing at the mere mention of war. The recent events shaking Wuhan belonged entirely to the murim world. Both orthodox and unorthodox sects preferred to avoid involving ordinary civilians whenever possible. Wandering unorthodox martial artists might not care about such things, but doing so would only spark conflict with the local unorthodox factions controlling the area, leading to a swift resolution. After all, disputes with the orthodox sects could be settled simply by killing without a second thought.
Once a faction claimed a region as its territory, the civilians within became its source of income—whether through collecting stall fees from merchants or receiving voluntary tributes. Moreover, if martial artists openly oppressed civilians, the authorities would intervene. The very existence of the Wulim Governor's office under the military demonstrated the imperial court's resolve not to abandon the murim entirely. In particular, Wulim Governor Han Won-chun was one of the imperial court's most celebrated supreme masters. No murim faction was willing to risk making an enemy of the imperial court just to squeeze a few coins from the common people's blood and sweat—at least not until now.
In any case, martial artists with their wits about them did not touch civilians. Knowing this, civilians also refrained from provoking them unnecessarily. Thus, a symbiotic relationship bordering on parasitism had formed between martial artists and civilians. Even so, the civilians took great interest in the current affair. Everywhere in Wuhan, talk of the impending full-scale war between Banunbang and the Jegal Family could be heard. Whenever two people gathered, debates erupted over whether Banunbang or the Jegal Family would emerge victorious. Never before had all of Wuhan burned with such fervor. It underscored both the unprecedented scale of this conflict and how reasonably the Jegal Family had managed Hubei murim until now.
Even civilians were this invested, so those within the murim world were no different. For the past several days, the Jegal Family's estate had been flooded with visitors, its gates never once closing. Some had come in response to the Jegal Family's call for aid. Others had traveled from across the nine provinces to lend their strength. Still others sought to forge connections by betting on the Jegal Family's victory. Demonstrating its determination to commit the family's full power to this war, the Jegal Family was even recruiting vagabonds who had passed a basic verification process.
"Chief Seneschal, support has arrived from the Twin Pole Gate of Xiangyang. One first-rank and five second-rank experts."
"Chief Seneschal, my sworn brother, the White Crane Sword Yu Won, has arrived. I'll go greet him. Ah, classify him as first-rank."
"Chief Seneschal, urgent report from the Star Net Group. The Banunbang has received reinforcements from the Guangxi Man Family. Their exact composition is still being investigated!"
"The Black Tiger Brigade we hired last time has requested new lodgings. They say the current quarters are too cramped for their numbers."
"We've received word from the Mount Heng Sect. They were attacked by the Black Sword Ghost Jeong Po while en route and may not arrive on schedule."
Jegal Jong, the Jegal Family's Chief Seneschal known as the Ten-Handed Ice Brain, found his mind burning despite the coolness implied by his epithet. Reports and requests poured in from every direction, threatening to overwhelm him. Yet in this situation where overload would have been understandable, Jegal Jong proved why he held the position of Chief Seneschal.
"Instruct the Cloud Rider Unit Leader to receive the Twin Pole Gate members. Tell the Star Net Group to cooperate with the Beggar's Union to identify the reinforcements. We don't need every detail—just confirm their numbers and formation. The Black Tiger Brigade? Does that really need to reach my desk? We have spare rooms; tell them to handle it themselves. The Black Sword Ghost again? He's gone mad. The Mount Heng Sect matter must be reported to the Family Head, so take my report and deliver it to him."
His two hands moved rapidly, creating afterimages. The speed and efficiency lived up to his epithet.
"Chief Seneschal, Lady Seon-a has returned from Guya Manor."
"Seon-a? Where is the Cloud Rider Unit Leader?"
Jegal Seon-a had arrived before the message could even reach them. Though Jegal Jong showed uncharacteristic surprise, his hands never stopped moving.
"It seems she came separately from the Cloud Rider Unit Leader. She also brought five additional companions, one of whom is Lady Paeng Ha-ryeong of the Hebei Paeng Family."
"The Paeng Family? From Hebei? This is troublesome. All our unit leaders are currently away..."
"Chief Seneschal! The Family Head is—!"
§
Jegal Chong, the Jegal Family Head known as the Scholar of Three Excellences, had devoted himself to martial arts, literature, and etiquette, earning his epithet. He had three sons, yet none satisfied him. It was not a matter of ability—they all possessed talents befitting direct descendants of the Jegal Family, and as a father, he took pride in them. However, they lacked the warmth of true sons. They were either too blunt, too sly, or too rigid. Thus, Jegal Chong cherished his younger brother's daughter all the more.
"Seon-a, come here quickly. You've worked so hard. So very hard."
Jegal Chong, who had nearly rushed out barefoot, hurried over and embraced Jegal Seon-a, patting her back. It was a sight that would have shocked anyone familiar with his usual adherence to propriety.
"I was careless. I should have sent not only the Cloud Rider Unit Leader but the entire Cloud Piercing Unit. I was too complacent."
He had sent only the Cloud Rider Unit Leader alongside her to avoid drawing attention, but attempting to remain inconspicuous had backfired. Jegal Seon-a, embarrassed to show such a scene before her companions, blushed and pushed Jegal Chong away.
"F-Family Head, I'm fine. If anything, I failed to complete the mission on time..."
"Enough. That dharma treasure is of no consequence. We can restore it within the family as we've always done. Your safe return is far more important."
The Jegal Family had kept the dharma treasure, the Flowing Heaven Divine Sword Baekseo, hidden away. Its power was immense—it had sealed the Transcendent Realm expert, the Black Sword Ghost, along with numerous Black Sword Unit members. To prevent its leakage, the family had been secretly restoring it internally. When the current crisis struck, they had hastily sent it to Guya Manor seeking assistance.
"Now, are you hurt anywhere else? I received the message from Mount Huang, but seeing you like this worries me."
"I'm truly fine. The Cloud Rider Unit Leader was injured far more severely than I was."
Outside their conversation, Namgung Woo stood like an awkward outsider alongside Jegal Chong's attendants, who wore similar expressions. The attendants bowed apologetically in return. Sensing their movement, Jegal Chong finally turned his gaze toward them.
"Ah... I've shown an unseemly display before our guests. Please forgive my rudeness."
Namgung Woo adjusted his initial impression while observing Jegal Chong's apology. The position of Jegal Family Head was equivalent to that of a high-ranking official. Yet even seated in such an elevated position, Jegal Chong prioritized courtesy. Namgung Woo offered a faint smile.
"Not at all. It was pleasant to witness your affection for your family."
"Haha, thank you for saying so. I've already heard about the Changcheon Squad's chivalrous deeds. We've prepared seats for you. Let us proceed there."
§
Mount Tianzi, Hunan Province. The scenery of Mount Tianzi, located above Zhangjiajie—the inspiration for the Peach Blossom Spring—boasted mountain ranges rivaling even Mount Huang or the Five Great Mountains. Eight hundred streams and three thousand peaks created a majestic atmosphere, while bizarre rock formations evoked the sense of another world entirely. Regarding its beauty, it was said: "If one has not visited Zhangjiajie in one's lifetime, how can one claim to have aged even at a hundred?" A mystical mountain seemingly untouched by the passage of time. There stood Banunbang.
"Is that so?"
The Black Sword Ghost looked at the man reclining in his grand chair. He was someone who seemed to have escaped the impartial flow of time. A living legend of the murim who had endured both the Great Orthodox-Unorthodox War and the Blood Cult Catastrophe. So few knew his exact age that he had lived an extraordinarily long life. Du Fu had called seventy years the "rare age of seventy," yet this man had surpassed seventy-seven and now approached ninety. That he maintained his youth was truly extraordinary. The man who had supposedly undergone bone restructuring and reversed aging was none other than Banunbang's founder, the Fallen Immortal Dongbang Hwa.
Dongbang Hwa mulled over the Black Sword Ghost's words before resting his chin on his hand.
"In the end, you failed to bring back Baekseo?"
"Instead, I brought the head of the Mount Heng Sect's Non-Flower Sword."
The Non-Flower Sword, an elder of the Mount Heng Sect, had been a renowned master in Hunan. Even the Black Sword Ghost had struggled to claim his life.
"Well, fine. An unexpected variable intervened, after all. I understand. We'll treat this failure as if it never happened."
"...That man is dangerous. He is not someone to be taken lightly."
The Black Sword Ghost warned Dongbang Hwa, who displayed an excessively casual attitude. The young swordsman he had encountered had made even the Black Sword Ghost prepare for death. Within Banunbang, where individual strength was said to surpass that of the Nine Great Sects, the Black Sword Ghost's prowess was considered elite. The emergence of an unidentified swordsman stronger than him joining the Jegal Family was no small matter.
Yet Dongbang Hwa merely chuckled and waved his hand dismissively.
"Go rest. The day draws near."
"...Understood."
After the Black Sword Ghost departed, Dongbang Hwa shifted his gaze to the spot beside where the man had stood.
"You heard him, didn't you? For him to warn us to that extent, he must be a worthy opponent to awaken you."
"...Yes."
In the empty grand hall, a reply came to Dongbang Hwa's soliloquy—a voice that should not have existed. Someone emerged from behind a pillar. An existence whose presence even the Black Sword Ghost had failed to detect.
"That one is yours."
"...Once this matter concludes, the great technique will be certain, correct?"
Dongbang Hwa's lips curled into a crooked smile.
"Of course! With Baekseo and the Seven Star Lamp Life-Extension Technique that the Jegal Family has been hiding, we will take one step closer to our long-cherished wish. I, Dongbang Hwa, guarantee it."
The Seven Star Lamp Life-Extension Technique. A great art that channeled the meaning of the seven stars into a lamp to extend one's lifespan. It was said to be the very technique Zhuge Liang had attempted at Wuzhang Plains. Though its success rate would be low given even Zhuge Liang's failure, Baekseo would change everything.
"We will live. Eternally. Defying this tiresome fate."
Those who rebelled against destiny. Those prepared to do anything for that purpose. That was Banunbang.